Go bag checklist: what to pack in your emergency bag
Pack one go bag per person, before you need it, with enough to last at least 72 hours: water (one gallon per person per day, as Ready.gov advises, or a way to treat more), three days of food that needs no cooking, a radio, a flashlight and extra batteries, a first aid kit, your medicines, a phone charger and backup battery, paper maps, cash and copies of ID. Keep it where everyone can grab it, and check it twice a year.
The go bag checklist
FEMA's Ready.gov basic disaster supplies kit, item by item, with what each one is for:
| Item | How much / which | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Water | One gallon per person per day, for at least three days. In a bag you can carry, pack what you can plus purification tablets or a filter. | Drinking and sanitation. |
| Food | At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food that needs no cooking, such as food bars. | Stores and kitchens may be shut or out of reach. |
| Radio | Battery-powered or hand-crank, and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. | Official warnings when phones and internet are down. |
| Flashlight and extra batteries | A headlamp keeps your hands free. | Light in a blackout. |
| First aid kit | Plus your prescription and everyday medicines. | Care until help can reach you. |
| Phone power | A cell phone with chargers and a backup battery. | Calls, alerts and maps for longer. |
| Local maps | On paper. | For when the phone is dead or has no signal. |
| Sanitation | Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties. | Hygiene with no running water. |
| Manual can opener | If you pack canned food. | Opening food with no power. |
What else goes in the bag
- Cash and copies of ID and important papers, in a waterproof bag. Card readers and ATMs need power.
- Clothes and rain gear: a change of clothes, sturdy shoes and something to keep you dry.
- Warmth: space blankets, and a lighter or ferro rod for fire.
- A whistle to signal for help.
- An N95 mask for smoke and dust.
- A multi-tool.
- Glasses, hearing-aid batteries, baby supplies and pet food: whatever the people and animals in your house need every day.
Remember: One bag per person, packed before you need it. Plan for at least 72 hours on your own.
Pack it in five steps
- Pick a bag each person can carry on foot.
- Start with water, food, light, radio, first aid and medicines.
- Add phone power, paper maps, cash and copies of ID.
- Add clothes, warmth and the needs of the people and pets in your house.
- Put it by the door you leave by, and tell everyone where it is.
One bag per person, and three places to keep a kit
Ready.gov suggests a kit at home, at work and in the car. The go bag is the grab-and-go part: light enough for the person who carries it, with water, medicines and walking shoes. Children can carry a small bag of their own with a snack, water, a whistle and your contact card.
Also: Pick two dates a year, for example when the clocks change, and check every bag. Replace water you stored yourself every six months, and swap out food and medicines before they expire.
Want this as a printable tick-box checklist for each person, with how to use every item? The Go-Bag Kit ($9) has it, with a Night edition for your phone.
Questions people ask
What should be in a go bag?
FEMA's Ready.gov basic kit: water, at least three days of non-perishable food, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, extra batteries, sanitation supplies (moist towelettes, garbage bags, plastic ties), a manual can opener, local maps, and a cell phone with chargers and a backup battery. Add medicines, cash, copies of ID and a change of clothes.
How much water should be in a go bag?
Ready.gov says one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. That is heavy, so a carried bag holds what you can manage plus purification tablets or a filter to treat more.
How long should a go bag last?
At least 72 hours. Ready.gov advises having your own food, water and supplies to last at least three days after an emergency.
Where should you keep emergency kits?
Ready.gov suggests a kit at home, at work and in the car. Keep the go bag by the door you leave by, and make sure everyone knows where it is.
How often should you check a go bag?
Twice a year, for example when the clocks change. Replace water you stored yourself every six months, and swap out food and medicines before they expire.
Sources
Every step on this page comes from these sources. We check them when we review the page.
General safety information, not medical advice. Always follow instructions from local officials and 911 dispatchers.